Work-Family Conflict in Nurses During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Department of Health in Disasters and Emergencies, School of Management and Medical Information Sciences, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran

2 Nursing and Midwifery Care Research Center, Department of Critical Care, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

3 Department of Laser Application in Medical Sciences Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

10.34172/JHAD.92355

Abstract

Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, nurses were praised as the main heroes of the fight against the disease, but 
pandemic conditions affected the balance between their work and family responsibilities. To this end, the present study aimed to 
explore the incidence of work-family conflict in nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at COVID-19 referral hospitals in Mazandaran Province, Iran, in 
2021. The participants were 200 nurses who were selected using convenience and purposive sampling. The data were collected 
using the Work-Family Conflict Scale (WAFCS), which was distributed and completed online. The collected data were analyzed 
with SPSS-16 software using descriptive and inferential statistics.
Results: Most of the participants were working as nurses for an average of seven years and had been caring for COVID-19 patients 
for at least 4-6 months until the time of data collection. The mean work-family conflict score was 78.80±1.1. The data also 
showed that the severity of work interference with family (WIF) in both time and strain dimensions (83.81±0.3) was significantly 
higher than the severity of family interference with work (FIW) (65.90±0.3) in these two dimensions. 
Conclusion: Nurses faced an imbalance between work and family functions during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since nurses are at 
the forefront of the fight against the pandemic, it is necessary to pay special attention to their working conditions and family life. 
Moreover, effective and practical solutions should be provided by managers to resolve work-family challenges. 

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Health and Development Journal
Volume 11, Issue 4
December 2022
Pages 174-179

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History

  • Receive Date: 02 October 2023
  • Revise Date: 05 January 2024
  • Accept Date: 08 January 2024

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